Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines.



0. M. BRADLEY.

ROTARY VALVE FOR iNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLlCATION FILED DEC.19. I914 Patented June 12, 191?,

wzm eases in verz to Patefited June 12, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2' C. M. BRADLEY. NOINNY VALVE F041 INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES.

d APPLICATION F| LED DEC 19. 1914. Nmmm M m ease-5 3 1m C. M. BRADLEY.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9, I9I4- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PatentedJune12,1917.

n; row 1. mm i W? l} we e" i. r i "cu m l liell lill GHAELES M. BRADLEY,U HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASlEIGN OF ONE-HALF T0 JAMES 3.

- ELLIS, (J1 HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

RUTAEY VALVE FUR INTERNAL-COMBUSTIQN ENGINES.

13".; (all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, Cinemas M.- BRADLEY,

u, citizen of the United States of America,

' which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invcntion are to provide an improved form. ofrotary valve oncl valve seat for internal combustion .cnglues adapted.to coact to control both theinlet and the exhaust of the respectivecylinders of the engine; to provide an improved a1"- mngoment of saidvalve and valve seat with respect totlue engine cylimler whereby thecooling emu is caused to circulate around said parts in such manner asto insure a sulo stantielly uniform temperature of the valve and valveseat whereby the expansion or contraction thereof is practicelly thesome;

to provide improved means for "allowing for the escape of steam which beiormccl in the c'etenjocket around. seitl valve and valve seat; toprovide improved pecking means for said valve to preventlcekogo oi thecooling lluid into the engine cylinder; to provide improved means fordiverting; from the engine cylinder any seepage that may pose scicl.pecking means'when the some becomes Worn; curl to provide an improvedmanner of lu loricet-iug seicl valve.

An illustrative embodiment of this in vention is shown in theocwmpanying clean! Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the (levice esapplicrl to a l cylimler internal comlmstion engine.

Fig. 2 is e detail portly sectional. of the valve.

3 is a transverse sectional elevetion taken on the line -A-A of Fig. 1.

Fig. lis an end elevation tillifiil from the leftof F g. 3., port of:the casing being broken army to more clearly illustrate the. gearing bywhich the valve is rotated.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively sectional and end detail views of tliepecking glands.

in the construction shown in the air-av" inge, tlie valve 1 is in theform of a hollow cylindrical. element rotetelo mounted in. rd valve sentliorniell in tlie casing Peripheral depressions or we wages are formedin. tlie vnlvc l. ct i11 along its length and {US edo-pr ce. therc-i...tion of Spccificatiou of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, lQJll 7.

.ll eplico'tiou filed. December 19, 191 2 Serial 1%. ?$78-,U62.

valve, to successively open communication between the inlet and exhaustports and. the respective cylinders The casing 7 in which the valve 1 isjourneled is herein shown esan integral part of the cylinder heads ofthe cylinders C, C and (J Inlet ports 21 and exhaust ports 22 are formedin the casing 7 at opposite sides of the valve 1, and are successivelybrought into communication with the respective oorts 19 throughregistration therewith of the valve passages 12., Thus the infiowing andoutflowing gases coineinto contact with the some surfaces of the valve1, namely, the Walls of the passages 2.. The advantages of this aretwo-fold; the incoming fuel contacting with the heated surface of thepassages 2 is more readily converted into a. gaseous form at atemperature that will-fa itete the ignition thereof; also this action ofincoming fuel will tend to cool the heated part of the valve.

Au inlet manifold 30 and the exhaust manifold 28 are arranged tocommunicate With the inlet and exhaust ports, 21 and 22 respectively. i

The driving mechanism for rotating the valve comprises a sprocket 1 2secured by a key QSto the valve 1 at one end thereof and connected bysuitable sprocket chains 31 to the crank shaft of the engine. Thesprockets which unconnected by the chains 31 are of such sizes as willgive the'necessary relative rotation of the velvewitli. respect to tilecrmk shaft for properly opening and closing the ports. A casing ofseparable parts 1'? will 18 surrounds the sprocket l4, and serves as abearing for the adjacent end of the velv 1. The casing is preferablymecle of light material, such as aluminium,

"ecorl a suitable bushing is therefore set l! of the sprocket housing isshaped to form the outlet 27: for the cooling fluid, :1 nose or otherconnection being secured thereto for connecting with. the radiator. Thecooling of the valve 1 anti valve casing '7 is accomplished bycirculating water around and through vol For this purpose a weter jecketi3 formed in'the casing 7 surrounding the valve 1' at ell points oetweenthe ports-.- 19., one. 22 eml'is in (lirect comm-.inicetr with theWater-jacket F'linclcrs G i U and C lhe valve 1 terminates inwardly ofthe ends of the casing 7, and the sprocket housing 17, and serves as theonly outlet for the cooling fluid in its passage from the water-jacket13 to the outlet 27 leading back to the source of supply. The waterenters the valve from the water-jacket 13 through the end 5 and passesout through the end 6 into the outlet passage 27. The ('on'miunieationwith the inlet end 5 and the valve 1 is indicated by dotted lines at theright hand end of Fig. 1. The cooling fluid is taken into the lower partof the cylinder water-jacket 13 either by the therino-siphon method orbypump, and as it becomes heated finds its way to the top of thewater-jacket 13 in the valve casing 7. By reason of the fact that thereis no other outlet for the water, itv passes from the jacket 13 into theend 5 of the valve 1, passing therethrough into the discharge passage27. Thus the water circulating in' the water-jacket 13 and through thevalve 1 is at substantially the same temperature so that the expansionor contraction of the valve is at all times substantially the same asthat of the valve casing. thereby maintaining, the fit. of the valve inits seat. Any other course for the cooling water would not accomplishthis result.

In other forms of engines, steam accumulating in the upper parts of thewater-jacket and for the escape of which no special means are provided,must pass out through the fluid outlet in the same course that the fluiddoes. This usually results in a crackling and rumbling noise in thewater-jacket. In, the device herein shown this is overcome by forming asmall duct or orifice 16 in the sprocket casing '18 connectingthehighest point of the water-jacket directly with the fluid outlet 27.This orifice is very small in cross-sectional area (from to l" in diameter) and although at low temperatures, water will flow outtherethrough, yet at high temperatures any steam forming in the 4 upperpart of the jacket 13 may readily escape without affecting the flow ofthe fluid through its regular path. Ina construction of this kind, whereitis absolutely emential to have the water flow from the valve casingthrough the valve in a steady uninterrupted stream of maximum volume inorder to insurev uniform cooling of the casing and valve, this provisionof allowing forthe escape of steam insures against the formation ofsteam pockets in the jacket; ot'th valve casing or in the valve, whichwould interfere with the flow of water and result in an uneven coolingof the valve and its casing. The arrangement of the valve hereinbeforedescribed involves the necessity of packing the same so as to preventthe leakage of the cooling fluid into the cylinders. This isaccomplished by means of packing glands 3-3 threaded externally so as toscrewed into the ends of valve 1 and having annular flanges fitting thevalve seat and between which and the ends of the valve packing rings 44*are compressed. The opposed faces of the valve ends and flanges aretapered so as to urge the packing outwardly against the valve casing.The packing glands are provided with hexagonal openings adapted toreceive a suitable wrench by which they may be tightened or loosened, asoccasion' nayrequire.

In order to further insure against the leakage of the cooling fluid intothe cylinders, anannular groove 8-8 is formed in the valve casing 7adjacent t'dthe ends of the valve 1, but inwardly of the packing rings4-4 and from which ducts 12-12 lead to the exterior of the casing.Should there be any seepage of cooling fluid past the packing rings 44due to their becoming worn, it would be. arrested by the grooves 8-8 anddirected by the ducts 12-42 to the eX- terior of the engine casing. Theannular groves S8 are partly incomplete near their upper portionso as toleave bearing surfaces along the whole surface of the valve to preventthe deposit from the cooling liquid increasing the size bf the valve 1,and thereby interfering with its removal. The trickling of water fromthe ducts 12-12" would be a signal that the packing glands. needtightening.

A flange or ridge 9 is formed in the easing 7 alipve and along the valve1 opposite the ope ings .19, and is provided with a key-hole. shapedslot 9 (Fig. 3) extending the entire length thereof, which forms a partof the means for lubricating the valve 1.

The eircular'ipartof the key-hole shaped slot 9" is continuousthroughout its length,

but tllGn-TOVQI' part is interrupted by obstructions 10 integrall formedwith the cats ing 7 directly above t e ports 19 in position to registerwith and cover the passages 2. These obstructions prevent communicationbetween the key-hole shaped ,slot 9 and either the inlet ports 21 andexhaust ports 22, which in the former case would cause a quantity oflubricating oil to be admitted to the inlet ports 21 and then be drawninto the cylinders, and which in the latter case would allow some of theexhaust gases to be ad- 'mitted to the key-hole sha ed slot and to findtheir way with consi erable pressure into the upper part of the oil slotand-to escape through other passages 2 simultaneously registering withthe slot. In either case the qualit of the fuel mixture would bedeteriorate to a greater or less extent. By virtue of the obstructions10 pockets are formed in the lower part. of the slot 9, which arecapable of confininga quantity of the lubricant so that in case theengine 1811135111 tained in an inclined'position for a considerableperiod of time during its operation, the

masses oil will not loo allowed all run to one end of the valve. Toinsure a more equal distribution of the oil, the-lower part of the slot9 between the obstructions may he loosely packed with asbestos or othersuitable packing. A plurality of threaded apertures ii are located inthe casing 7 directly above the obstructions 10, to which may beconnected means for supplying, the lubricant. This arrangement of oilslot with a plurality of feed ducts insures a more uniform distributionof the lubricant over the entire surface of the valve.

The openings 20 in the rear wall of the water jacket and 20 in chainhousing cover are closed by means of plates 934 245" and plugs 25 fsecured. therein. The plugs 25-425 are adapted to he removed when it isdesired to insert a Wrench for tightening the glands 3- When. it isdesired to remove packing glands entirely, it is necessary to remove theplates Mr-24L.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has beenherein-shown. and described, it will he understood that some of thedetails of the construction shown be altered or omitted. withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention as defined by the followingclaims.

I claim: i l

1. in an internal combustion engine, the combination of a plurality ofcylinders, a valve casing extending across said cyliiulers and havingports communicating with each of said cylinders and adapted for theadmission of gases to and the discharge thereof from said cylinders andhaving other ports leading respectively to inlet and exhaust passages,and a cylindrical valve rotataloly mounted in said casing and havingpassages formed therein. arranged to rcgi tcr with said-ports so as tosuccessively open communication between said cylinders and therespective inlet and exhaust passages, said, casing having alongitudinally disposed oil passage extending substantially throughoutthe length thereof and having slots elongated in the direction of saidoil passage and providing communicatirn be tween said passage and theperiphery of said valve substantially throughout that part of the valvewhich is intermediate said valve passages, said casing also having aplurality of oil supply ducts connecting with said oil passage at pointsintermel'liate said elongated slots through each of which oil is adaptedto'he continuously supplied to said passage.

2. in an internal comhustion engine, the combination of a plurality ofcylinders, a valve casing" extending :u-ross said cylinders and havingports colnmuuicuting with each ol said cylinders and adapted For thead.- mission of gases to and the discharge there- 'of from saidcylizulcrs and having other throughout the ports leading, respectivelyto inlet and exhaust passages, a cylindrical valve rotatalily mounted insaid casing and having passages forinel therein arranged to registerwith said ports so asto successively open communication between saidcylinders and the respective inlet and exhaust passages, and a ridgeformed along the top of said valve casing and having an oil passageformed therein extending substantially length of said valve and havingslots elongated in thedircction of said oil passage and providingcommunication between said passage and the periphery of said valvesubstantially throughout that part of the valve which is intermediatesaid valve passages, the parts of said casing which separate saidelongated slots providing obstructions covering; said valve passages,said elongated slots being adapted to -retain packing, therein, saidridge having a plurality of transverse oil supply ducts connecting withsaid passage at points located above said obstructions through each ofwhich oil is adapted to he continuously supplied to said oil passage.

3. in an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, avalve casing having separate inlet and exhaust ports and a common portfor the admission of gases to and the discharge thereof from the cylinder, a hollow cylindrical valve rotatably mounted in said casing andhaving: a passage formed therein adapted to successively opencommunication between said common port and said inlet and exhaust ports,a

water jacket surroundingsaid valve casing and communicating with thewater jacket of said cylinder. said cylindrical valve coinmunica tinggat one end with the water jacket of said-valve casino and forming theoutlet passe for the cooling fluid. and means for packing the ends ofsaid valve for preventing the leakage of cooling: fluid from said Waterjaclrct into said engine cylinders, said casing having: grooves tormedthenein inwardly oi said packing means land having a duct leadingtherefrom whereby any seepage of cooling fhiidthrough said packing}; isdrained away. l

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, avalve casing having separate inlet and exhaust ports and a common portfor the admission of gases to and the discharge thereof from the cyl--inder, a hollow cylindrical valve rot-stably and forming the outletpassage for the coolto the outside ing fluid, packing glands threadedexternally so as to screw into said valve, an annular flange on saidglands adapted to fit into the adjacent part of said valve casing andengage packing between said flange and the end of said valve, said Waterjacket having openings in the rear Wall thereof in alinen ent with saidvalve seat through which said glands are adapted to be in- 10 serted orremoved, plates for closing said openings, and plugs threaded into saidplates and adapted to be removed to permit said glands to be reached foradjustment.

Signed at Chicago this 16 day of Dec. 1914.

CHARLES M. BRADLEY.

' JAMES B. ELLIS.

